Device to seat a button being sewn on a fabric, determine the length of a shank for said button, and to protect the securing threads



3,390,434 DETERMINE AND July 2, 1968 a. L. SNYDER DEVICE TO SEAT A BUTTON BEING SEWN ON A FABRIC.

THE LENGTH OF A SHANK FOR SAID BUTTON,

TO PROTECT THE SECURING THREADS Filed April 18, 1967 .INVENTOR, Ben omm L.Snyder,

FIG.6

ATTORNEY. I

United States Patent 3,390,434 SEAT A BUTTON BEING SEWN- ON THE LENGTH OF A AND TO PROTECT ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A smooth surface cylindrical member having longitudinal passages therethrough for communication with the holes in a button whose bottom surface is circular convex. One end of this member sets flat on the fabric. Its other end is formed with a socket to seat the button. The diameter of this member is approximately that of the circle which circu-mscribes the holes in the button. In the preferred form, this member comprises a tubular member whose passages are formed by inner radial partitions; all wall thickness being rather thin; the internal diameter of the outer tube being slightly smaller than that of said circumscribing circle, to aid the eye to center the button. This member may be of transparent plastic. Made with four longitudinal passages, it may serve for both twoholed or four-holed buttons. Of course, it may be made specifically with only two passages. Obviously, its length deter-mines shank length. All edges on this member are rounded.

The present invention relates to the art of tailoring and dressmaking, and more particularly to a sewed-on button whose securing threads form a shank therefor.

The principal object of this invention is to provide .a novel and improved means which will center the button being sewed on, determine the shank length, and protect the securing threads from tear which heretofore occurred because of repeated rubbing thereon by the edges of the button hole through which the button was passed; said means being specially adaptable for use with buttons whose bottom circular surface is convex.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved means of the character described, which is cheap to manufacture, easy to mount and efiicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a button sewed on a fabric, and associated with an element embodying the teachings of this invention. This view is enlarged.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken at line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a section taken at line 5-5, and at line 5'-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a magnified perspective view of said element.

In the preferred form of this invention shown in the drawing, the one-piece structure designated generally by the numeral 15, comprises a round smooth-surfaced tubular part 16 of uniform length, provided with four equispaced, identical, lengthwise inner passages which preferably may be the ducts 17-20, formed by the joined partitions 21-24 extending radially inward from the inside wall surface of said tubular part. The inside diameter of said tubular part is preferably slightly less than the diameter of the circle which would circumscribe the holes ice 25-28 of the button 29, so that when said button is concentrically positioned on an end of said structure 15, a slight outer part of each of said holes in the button, will be covered by the rim 16 of said tubular part. At said end of the structure 15, the upper edges of the partitions 21-24 are in slight convergent relation towards the .axis of said tubular part 16, and preferably with the rim 16', determines a concave-circular surface which is the counterpart of the bottom convex-circular surface 29 of the button. At the other end of said structure 15, the edges of the partitions and the rim of the tubular part are coplanar. To serve as a proper seat for the button, the radius of the concavity on the structure 15, shall not exceed the radius of convexity of the bottom surface of the button. This seat may be a conical cavity.

The structure 15 may be of plastic, metal or other rigid suitable material, but for economy for manufacture, it is preferred that it be molded of plastic, and may be transparent so that the securing stitch threads 30 are visible therethrough, if desired. The thickness of the tube part and its partition walls, is cardboard thin; about being recommended therefor. The length of 15 is of course the length of the shank provided for the button. For the market, articles constructed like 15, will be provided in various lengths, but the OD. and ID of the tubular part will be the same for all sizes, because the spacing of the holes 25-28 in buttons of various sizes, is predominantly constant in commercial button production.

It is evident that to sew a button onto a fabric 31, so that it is provided with an element like 15 to form its shank, said element is placed onto the fabric, concentrically with the spot marked on the fabric to indicate button position, with its concaved end upward. The button is set on such exposed end of the element 15, which offers the concave seat therefor, so the button and said element are associated in the manner of the contact made by the seat and ball components of a ball joint. The button is shifted in its seat so it is concentricaly positioned and so that the holes 2528 of the button are communicative with the passages 17-20 respectively, which is easy to judge by eye, then holding the parts so placed, the securing stitches 30 are sewn so that they tightly hold the button 29, the shank-forming element 15 and the fabric 31, securely together; the ends of the thread being tied or otherwise secured in manner well known. The threads through the tubular part 16, being very close to its inside wall, hold the button as a tight cover to the rim 61'.

All edges on the member 15, are preferably rounded as shown at 32, 32, as further protection against injury to the securing threads 39.

The article 15 can as well be used for two-hole buttons as with those having four holes, and if desired can be manufactured with only two passages formed by the diametral partition composed of the elements 24 and 25, so 21 and 23 would be omitted.

Suitable materials of which this button-seating, shanklength'determining and securing thread protecting means 15, may be made to withstand cleaning and ironing of the fabric articles they are used on, are suggested to be nylon, Zytel #101 a product of Du Pont, zinc, aluminum or artificial stone compositions, whose exteriors may be colored to suit.

This invention is capable of various forms and numerous applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being bad to the following claims rather than to the specific description and showing herein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A button spacing member of generally tubular configuration having a generally arcuate button seating surface at one end and a substantially fiat fabric resting surface at its other end, said member having a plurality of longitudinally elongated thread receiving passages therethrough and separated from each other by strengthening means, said thread receiving passages being formed such as to coincide with thread receiving apertures formed in an associated button so that the button may be readily sewn to a garment, the inside diameter of said tubular member being of slightly less dimension than an arc eucompassing said apertures in the button, the outside diameter of said tubular member being of a diameter greater than said button aperture encircling are so that an edge portion of the generally arcuate edge of the button spacing member would be visible through the apertures of the button so as to facilitate use of the same to sew a button to a garment.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the passages are afforded by inner radial partitions extending from the inner surface of said tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 633,097 9/ 1899 Koltonski. 1,258,942 3/1918 Piper. 1,290,919 1/1919 Dahlgren. 2,518,643 8/1950 Sewell.

FOREIGN PATENTS 146,272 6/1936 Austria.

8,917 1841 Great Britain.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

